The special V8 Vantage, initially finished in Karussell Orange, was repainted in a unique Morning Frost Satin paint, with the texture of fine silk. The interior was influenced by Kilgour’s 2008 collection and finished in Kilgour Midnight Blue, with the seat-inserts adorned with a polka-dot effect. The fashion show in Paris offered a unique opportunity to view the latest creations of two extraordinary brands. The new collection by Kilgour and the V8 Vantage were appreciated by 250 invited VIP and media guests.

Photo from Aston Martin Lagonda

It features numerous touches that make it a totally unique prospect, too, including a full Q exclusive interior featuring one-off colours and quilting, Q Conker Saddle carpets with Q exclusive Conker Saddle overmats, Q Rosewood High Gloss Fascia, Q wing and buckle badges with white enamel infill and a full Q matching tailored luggage set.

The car also comes complete with a special plaque in honour of its status as a one-of-one model, reading: “Specially commissioned by Q to commemorate the AM37 yacht launch – 1 of 1.”

The Aston Martin Vanquish Volante AM37 Edition by Q became available to purchase through Aston Martin Reading for £236,950.

Updated styling, greater power output and sharper handling define this latest evolution of the 310 Vanquish model line. 

In this, the second generation 310 Vanquish’s evolution to S specification, careful attention has been paid to the engine, chassis and aerodynamics to create a machine honed to deliver more intense thrills and even more scintillating performance.

Central to the ‘S’ is the naturally-aspirated 5.9 litre V12 engine, which now produces up to 595 bhp (up from 565 bhp) and enjoys sensational throttle response, thanks to a revised and enlarged inlet manifolds which allow a greater volume of air to flow into the engine at high revs. The calibration of the 8-speed Touchtronic III transmission has been revised to deliver faster gearshifts and greater refinement at low speeds for a greater sense of precision and immediacy.

Likewise, the suspension, damper internals, spring rates and anti-roll bar bushes have also been re-tuned to give the Vanquish S a keener edge in the more sporting suspension modes, without compromising its ability to deliver supple ride quality on demand.

The Vanquish S can be readily distinguished from the previous model by a new aerodynamic package. Fashioned from exposed carbon fibre, the revised and more aesthetically attractive front splitter delivers a reduction in frontal lift without a significant increase in drag. The new rear diffuser combines with visually striking new quad exhaust outlets which also distinguishes the S from the earlier car

The Carbon look can be further enhanced with a range of new options. These include carbon fibre bonnet louvres, new forged 5-spoke diamond turned wheels and a choice of striking painted graphics packs. A new Vanquish S badge sits proudly on the tailgate as the perfect piece of jewellery.

Inside, the Vanquish S can be further personalised with a choice of spectacular new ‘Filograph’ quilted leather and the use of new materials and finishes, such as the Satin Chopped Carbon Fibre fascia panel. Sumptuous Bridge of Weir Caithness leather offers an added touch of luxury and tactility, while Vanquish S embroidery on the headrests provides a crafted finishing detail.   

The Vanquish S became available in both Coupe and Volante forms with a recommended retail price starting from £199,950 in the UK, €262,950 in Germany and $312,950 in the US. Deliveries to customers commenced in December 2016. The car was replaced in summer 2018 by the DB11 based DBS Superleggera.

The N400 featured a few tweaks over the standard car. This included a useful power upgrade to the 4.3 litre V8 engine, lifting peak power to 400 bhp and peak torque to 420 Nm. The car also came equipped with a new Sports Pack as standard which offered subtly different driving dynamics tailored to enthusiasts who were seeking even more responsive handling. The Sports Pack comprised of unique lightweight graphite-finished aluminium wheel type with diamond turning (already fitted to the Sports Pack DB9), with up-rated springs and dampers. The N400 also included a number of exterior design changes, including a revised side sill design, Magnum Silver bonnet and side strake meshes, clear rear lamp lenses and a bright finish grille.

Interior enhancements included perforated black leather seats, micro-spin alloy facia trim and a unique numbered sill plaque. The N400 was only available in three new exterior colours; Bergwerk Black, Lightning Silver or Karussell Orange (the first time that orange has been a standard colour for an Aston Martin I believe), with either Sportshift or conventional manual transmission. Additionally, the N400 came equipped with a range of optional equipment fitted as standard, including Satellite Navigation, 700W Aston Martin Premium Audio System, Bluetooth telephone preparation, HID headlamps, cruise control and memory/heated seats. In the Karussell Orange car, the seat stitching was course orange and a map of the Nürburgring was embroidered on the arm rest, the black and silver cars in course silver or sometime red or even black thread.

AML intended limiting production of the N400 to just 480 examples (240 coupes, 240 Roadsters) – why 480? well that’s how many seconds are in 8 minutes, the time that the N400 could lap the Nürburgring. Almost all cars were built during March and April 2008. It is now believed that 195 N400 Roadsters were actually built making the edition especially desirable to collectors.

The special series of ‘N’ cars continued with the 4.7 litre N420 in 2010 and the N430 in 2014.

The V400, was limited to only 10 examples was very competitively priced at only £75,950 for the V8 Vantage V400 Coupe and £79,950 for the V8 Vantage V400 Roadster (plus road tax). This made the V400 the least expensive new Aston Martin for a very long time until the title was taken away by the 2012 Cygnet.

The car was a result of a collaboration between Q by Aston Martin, the Royal Air Force and Aston Martin Cambridge with approval from Ministry of Defence, resulted in one of the most exclusive Aston Martins ever built. Announced during the 2017 hand-over of the new Aston Martin facility at St Athan in South Wales, the first example was a a wrapped early Vanquish S factory demo. Production  cars followed a few months later.

The models are packed with customised details highlighting the partnership between two world famous brands and showcasing UK engineering excellence, precision and innovation. 

The ten ‘Vanquish S Red Arrows’ models echo the look and performance of the aircraft marque. The car has been created in a special, Éclat Red pearlescent colour to match the Hawk aircraft flown by the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team. Each car was uniquely paired with a Red Arrows jet, including the matching military serial numbers throughout the car.​

The model boasted specially designed features, including:

• Éclat Red pearlescent colour
• Obsidian Black leather with Pinewood Green stitching
• ‘Diamond Nine’ embroidery on headrests in Obsidian black with olive green inserts matching ejection seat fabric colours in the Red Arrows Hawk
• 2 + 0 Seating Arrangement
• Audio on/off system switches made from recycled Red Arrows Hawk parts
• Hawk serial number embroidery on passenger airbag
• The Red Arrows squadron crest lacquered into the screen veneer in a monochrome finish
• Carbon fibre roof panel, side strakes, door handles, Door Mirror Caps

Completing the aviation theme, the Aston Martin Cambridge ‘Vanquish S Red Arrows’ came with a range of accessories, including:

• Two custom Red Arrows-inspired racing suits (one in red for the driver which represents the one the pilot wears, and another in blue, for the passenger, as a nod to the engineers who fly in the back seats of the Hawks on transit flights)
• Two custom Red Arrows racing helmets
• Two Red Arrows leather jackets as commissioned and worn by the team
• A themed car cover
• An embossed owners’ manual
• A unique leather photo album featuring high quality images of the car

The V8 Vantage transmissions had also undergone changes to improve performance and to handle the increased levels of power and torque. Both the standard manual and optional Sportshift benefited from a modified clutch and flywheel, reducing clutch pedal efforts and delivering a 0.5kg weight saving, reducing the rotating masses within the powertrain, and hence increasing engine responsiveness. Sportshift also underwent a series of specific changes to broaden the capabilities of the gearbox. Changes included a revised control strategy, allowing the transmission, rather than the engine, to dictate how best the engine torque should be deployed to optimise performance and delivered power smoothly and consistently. The coupe was also fitted the stiffer suspension first seen on the 4.3 Roadster and also had Bilstein dampers as standard.

Unexpectedly, the clear rear light clusters as seen on the N400 models were initially not carried over to the standard 4.7 Vantage although they later became an optional extra.

For the 2012MY, in line with the Virage, the car adopted the Garmin sat-nav and ‘beam blade’ wiper design, although these particular cars are quite rare as the new V8 Vantage 2012.25MY was introduced a few months after the MY2012 cars entered production.

Below, the new standard 20 spoke 19 inch wheel for the 4.7 litre V8 Vantage. Cars fitted with the optional Sportspack, receive the lightweight 5 spoke 19 inch wheels as seen on pervious DB9 Sports Pack and N400 models.

Internally, AML did refer to the 4.7 litre V8 Vantage as the ‘420’ due to peak power of 420 bhp but it’s use was never adopted in the marketing of the car.

Of note is that the previously seen ‘bee-sting’ rear radio antenna was deleted from the 4.7 as the radio antenna was incorporated into the windscreen.

Below are also images of a MY2010 V8 Vantage Roadster shown at the 2010 Geneva Salon. This example had the ‘new for 2010’ lightweight forged 10 spoke diamond turned wheels. For the 2012MY, in line with the Virage, the car adopted the Garmin sat-nav and ‘beam blade’ wiper design, although these cars are quite rare as the new V8 Vantage MY2012.25 was introduced a few months after the first MY2012 cars entered production.